BUSKER WEBLOGS

(NEW ORLEANS) It's the same old story with a different twist. Just as most captive audiences are tough on buskers, the same held true recently when a busker decided to entertain passengers on a public streetcar in New Orleans.

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Being the birthplace of jazz, it isn't unusual to find buskers performing songs up and down the venues in the French Quarter which is quite famous for the impromptu entertainers. However, this time was to be different.

The busker pulled out his guitar on the trolly and started singing old Beatles tunes including "A Hard Day's Night". The passengers went about their business expecting the street-performer to soon pass the hat and be on his way. Much to their surprise, the busker just kept playing more Beatles songs having a seemingly endless supply of them on hand.

(SYDNEY) From hulahoops to didgeridoos, over 260 buskers turned out to break the Guinness World's Record of 230 set in the UK for the world's largest busk.

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Although not all were authentic buskers with the youngest being 4 years old, they were officially registered as performers who came out to busk for a worthy cause and break the record at the same time.

Performers played for two hours in 100 places as part of the Bondi Winter Magic Festival donating their day's earnings to SoundSchool which teaches music to disadvantaged children.

(PRAGUE) The city of Prague is wondering why there aren't more buskers and street performers around their fair city. After all, they've overcome 40 years of Communism crushing their culture. Hence, the city has embarked on a campaign to bring in many more of the performing artists.

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And even taking into consideration of the famous Charles bridge, Prague has much less buskers and street performers when compared to Berlin, Dublin, or Paris.

The project is currently crowdfunded which will determine how the campaign will go forward. Organizers have produced a video as well as an audio mp3 that showcases the effort. There will also be an app for tablets and cell phones to promote the project.

Regulations implemented 3 years ago have somewhat restricted street musicians and will be changed. “Musicians c...

Almost 100 street performers and buskers auditioned for 3 minutes each for a spot in this summer's Grate Performances series in the Big Apple's Duffy square.

Billed as the "crossroads of the world", the Times Square Alliance events are scheduled to start May 28th.

Sadly, New York City performers are usually restricted to performing underground in the city's dark and dirty subway system. This time, however, they were allowed to perform in the sunshine and be viewed by the general public.

Revealing some fresh faces, there were some old familiar ones with even the Naked Cowboy "butting" in.

Tom Jones’s first attempt at busking began ominously as a crowd gathered around a set of speakers and a lone microphone set up on the South Bank of the Thames near the Royal Festival Hall. “It’s Tom Jones, isn’t it?” one woman asked. “I’ve never liked him since he had his nose done. He had a sensible Welsh nose in the old days.”

Skateboarders and BMX bikers gathered nonplussed at a nearby underpass. Sir Tom would be using the graffiti-covered skating area if it rained, they were told. “That would be a bit awkward,” one BMX rider said. “We’d have to ride around him.”

But any doubt that the 68-year-old singer could still thrill a crowd was dispelled the moment he stepped up to the microphone. “Can you hear me all right?” he asked. The crowd, which had swelled to about 400, cheered and raised their arms, not in celebration, but to capture the moment on their mobile telephones. ...